Project Summaries - March 2009 Recipients

Christian World Service

The Middle East and New Zealand: Some Global Issues for Young New Zealanders

The aim of the project is to create a comprehensive resource kit and on-line material for educators, examining global issues in the Middle East and New Zealand. Through a series of 4-6 teaching units, students will explore diverse aspects of daily life such as school, family life, leisure activities, jobs and religion in bicultural and multicultural societies. A film crew will record personal stories, both in New Zealand and in the Middle East. This will allow students to identify and make connections with a range of perspectives.

Hamilton Multicultural Services Trust

Get Reel: Movies to make you think and Get Reel Radio
Monthly movies with a global perspective are screened at the Waikato Migrant Resource Centre, challenging New Zealanders to think carefully about their preconceptions of people who arrive here as refugees and migrants, and their actions. Nobody is so different that they should not be given a chance, and nobody is so far away that we cannot effect some change. The discussion is facilitated and supplemented by a weekly radio show that poses questions related to the movies and current issues and invites discussion and consideration.

Oxfam New Zealand

Wara Bilong Life
Wara Bilong Life is a fun, interactive, internet project for New Zealand students. The project guides students' learning about global water and sanitation issues through a creative process of researching and designing hand-washing methods for their peers in Papua New Guinea. The project also actively challenges the concept of the minority world providing solutions for the majority world.

The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit

Trafficking in Persons Forum
People trafficking is now universally recognised as one of the most pressing human rights issues of current times. The forum (September 2009) is aimed at furthering awareness of people trafficking, examining the causal factors that lead to people being vulnerable to trafficking, and developing a coordinated plan, that will seek to improve understanding of the complexities of the crime, thereby leading to increasing effective action. Such a plan of action will seek an ongoing partnership between civil society, recognising that combating the growing criminal activity surrounding the trafficking of men, women and children requires wide ranging involvement of government, NGOs and local communities.

Surf Aid International

Perspectives and Impacts of Surf Tourism in Indonesia
Tourism has originated from many natural wonders including the surf. Surfing destinations are increasingly being promoted in developing countries and intrepid surfers inevitably have an impact on host communities. This resource explores environmental impact, social impact and economic impact by form of people's perspectives - comparing Bali's complex surf tourism scene to emerging and more remote locations such as Nias and Mentawai Islands in Indonesia. Lessons will encourage students to listen to audio recordings of people's perspectives and make generalisations and analyse these. Many photos will stimulate an inquiry approach and enhance the lesson framework provided for several areas of the curriculum in Geography and Social Studies.

United Nations Youth Association of New Zealand

New Zealand Model United Nations Conference 2009
The New Zealand Model United Nations Conference 2009 is an event comprising 224 high school students and 50 university students from across New Zealand. A 4-day conference, it includes debates based on the real structure of the United Nations, guest speakers (including diplomats, members of the public service and politicians), and a variety of interactive activities aimed at educating students about their roles in world affairs. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the conference in New Zealand and will be the largest conference yet, for the first time including a Model Security Council conference simultaneously.